Ocala man sentenced to 30 years for human trafficking

Monday

The Marion County Sheriff's Office investigation found that Ryan Gemelle Poole sold a woman into various forms of prostitution in Marion, Alachua, Orange, Hillsborough and Charlotte counties.

A Marion County jury has convicted an Ocala man for prostituting out a woman and profiting from her activity.

Ryan Gemelle Poole, 33, was convicted of two counts of human trafficking and one count each of living off earnings of a prostitute, unlawful use of two-way communication device to facilitate a felony and sexual battery. He was sentenced to 30 years in state prison, the maximum penalty for human trafficking.

Poole was found guilty Thursday and sentenced Friday, according to court records. His trial lasted four days.

Marion County Sheriff's detectives began investigating Poole in mid-August 2016. He was arrested in December of that year.

The agency's investigation found that Poole sold a woman into various forms of prostitution in Marion, Alachua, Orange, Hillsborough and Charlotte counties. She also was promoted on multiple sex websites. A second woman was brought in to participate in the online sexual activities but left after one session, according to officials.

The first woman approached authorities in mid-August, which launched the investigation.

She said Poole controlled her and her money and that he branded her with a tattoo and forced her to call him "Daddy." She said she and Poole met online and dated and lived together from August 2015 to August 2016.

Not long after moving in together, she said, Poole demanded that she give him all her money from her jobs, including prostitution, which began when Poole suggested she work as an exotic dancer since she wasn't making much money.

The woman said she was forced to follow rules and routines and was not allowed to look anyone in the eye. She was forbidden from having black clientele because Poole told her they would try to take her. And, she said, Poole gave her weekly goals on how much money she should make.

Poole's arrest was the third human trafficking arrest in Marion County Sheriff's Office history, according to officials.

Attorney Jesse W. Smith, of Musca Law in Gainesville, represented Poole during the trial. Julie Sercus, of the Office of the Attorney General, prosecuted the case, according to court records.